


King of Death

by darkrogue1 (Lily_Haydee_Lohdisse)



Category: Kyou Kara Maou!
Genre: Character death (We appreciated you from the first episode to the last… rest in peace), Gen, slight ending of the series spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-24
Updated: 2007-01-24
Packaged: 2018-07-29 14:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7687660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lily_Haydee_Lohdisse/pseuds/darkrogue1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yuuri transformed into the Maou to save a village again… but he exhausted too much of his powers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	King of Death

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [Goethe's Erlkönig](http://german.about.com/library/blerlking.htm) (Schubert's musical interpretation was stuck in my head sometime last summer).  
> You might want to read the above poem first if you don't know the story...
> 
> Beta-read by [](http://slytherisa.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://slytherisa.livejournal.com/)**slytherisa**
> 
> AN: You know Goethe’s Erlkönig? It gave me some ideas. I took the text and rearranged it but the first and last paragraphs should be about the same ^^. Altered verses are in italics.

The road to Shinmakoku’s capital city was dark between the trees and the wind played threatening sounds through their leaves. A small animal that looked like a rabbit was waiting on the earth path, standing on its hind legs and listening to the rumours of the wind. Then a tremor in the ground made it flee to the bushes, and soon the sound of hooves was to be heard. _Who rode this late through night and wind?_

The horse came by at a fast gallop, fallen leaves dancing in the moving air in its wake. In the pale light of the half moon, an absent passer-by could have seen the brown horse foaming. Its sides were palpitating; it must have run a long time already, but still its rider was urging it forward, faster, faster still. But the horse was carrying a double weight, and the worried rider was clutching a precious burden to his chest. There was a short clearing between the trees and a small light fell on the two rider’s faces. The tallest rider had chestnut hair and dark brown eyes, scrutinizing the road ahead and hoping for the village’s first lights. In his arms was a smaller figure, enveloped in a blanket, from which only pale skin and black hair could be seen. _It was Conrad with his king._

At a fast pace they rode towards the city. Yuuri had saved a village again, but at what cost! Ignoring the pleas of his loyal councillors and retainers, he had gone on way past the time limit, exhausting his powers completely. When the Maou had collapsed, Conrad had received him in his arms and directly ran to his awaiting horse, grabbing a blanket on the way. Ignoring the shouts and outcries, he had ridden away and not stopped ever since with his precious bundle. Now still _he was holding the boy in his arms._

Far behind, Conrad knew the other had started giving chase and he pushed his horse faster. ‘Hold on, Yuuri’ he desperately thought. They were tossed around and shaken by the horse’s high pace, and as Conrad checked from time to time, Yuuri’s skin was slowly becoming colder. Conrad rearranged his grip on the king. _He held him tightly and kept him warm._  
  
Conrad grasped at his horse’s mane, faster, faster still. They had to reach it before it was too late. In his arms Yuuri moved, turning his head back to the side; and in the little light they had, Conrad feared, for Yuuri’s skin was so pale, and his eyes were clouded already. His voice caught in his throat as he asked:

\- _What are you looking at Yuuri?_  
And he clutched the king closer still when he answered in a feeble voice:  
_\- It’ s the king, Conrad, don’t you see?_  
The king of death has come for me.  
Yuuri was delirious; the situation was bad; they still had one or two leagues to go. And Conrad prayed, prayed for them to be on time. He couldn’t bear it if Yuuri died.  
_\- It’s just a cloud, hang on, Yuuri._

The horse faltered but with his legs and a hand of steel Conrad put it back on track. They couldn’t afford to slow down, not now. In his arms, Yuuri was looking off to the side, and the wind was playing with black bangs in front of his eyes.  
  
_The time has come for you to leave_  
 _Come with me to play, to live,_  
 _I wanted you before now_  
 _Then I’ll name a new Maou_

The voice whispered in Yuuri’s ear. He had trouble understanding at first, he knew this voice. Safe and warm in Conrad’s arms he remembered. The voice was that of the man he saw earlier between the trees, the true king, Shinou.

\- _Conrad, Conrad do you hear_  
_The words Shinou speaks in my ear?_  
 _\- No Yuuri, don’t listen to him_  
 _It’s not Shinou, it’s just the wind._

And Conrad covered Yuuri’s head with the blanket again, keeping his ears away from the blowing wind. Then Yuuri felt Conrad shift a bit under him, pressing the flanks of his horse. The hooves hit the ground with a rhythmic regularity. Yuuri’s body was hurting, he felt weak and tired, but Conrad wouldn’t let him go. Then Yuuri heard the voice again, and looked to the side.

 _Will you come with me_  
To end all the pain finally?  
There will be dancing and laughing,  
Do you see my friends there waiting?

Yuuri could see them, behind Shinou. He didn’t really know those people but they seemed happy, and were beckoning him. If only Conrad would come with him, he wouldn’t hesitate. He would take the man’s hand and go. But somehow he knew he was dying, and he had to reassure Conrad as to the place he was going.

- _Conrad, do you see his friends dancing?  
They came for me, they are waiting._

Conrad was desperate now, he knew he was losing this battle against time. So he talked, talked to distract Yuuri from the treacherous words luring him to his death.

_-I see the trees they are moving,  
They are but toys of the wind._

Shinou’s look-alike phantom came closer, and his face turned evil, just like he had when Yuuri met Soushu. His voice was but a murmur, lost in the noise of the race, but Yuuri heard him still as clearly as before.  
  
_If you are not willing, then by force_  
 _I’ll take you or another, tonight I want a corpse_

Then he felt something cold seizing him by the foot and he cried out. He didn’t want to die yet.

\- _Conrad, he has me, my foot is in his hold  
Death has come to take away my soul._

Yuuri heard a swish of metal as Conrad unsheathed his sword with one hand, keeping him still with the other. Then the blade sung through the air as Conrad struck, encountering nothing but air. Still Yuuri felt somewhat less oppressed… Except he wasn’t feeling much by now; he couldn’t even feel Conrad pressed against him. Yuuri’s eyes slowly closed.

Conrad sheathed his sword again and looked at Yuuri. His eyes were closed and his breath was just a soft murmur. He wouldn’t hold on for much longer, but they were nearly there…

_Conrad trembles now, and rides as if on wings.  
In his arms he holds the aching king_

He sees the lights in the village now, and up there the castle, and he whispers to his four-legged companion to take them there, encouraging the exhausted horse on. If only Yuuri could hold on!  
_  
He reaches the village, tired and with dread_

He shouts at the gate, and the men recognise him and let him pass… but then he feels it, a life gone.

_Under him the horse falls dead._

With Yuuri in his arms he jumps and evades the horse’s falling body, and without a glance at his loyal companion he runs on towards the small inn.

"Rosetta! Open please!"

Thankfully she is fast to respond, and when Conrad shouts for her to get the magical stone, she quickly obeys, not looking twice at the boy in his arms. Her father is there too, holding up a lamp, and he trembles as he looks at the black bangs of the pale boy.

"Is this the king?"

Conrad nods and only whispers "Maryoku exhaustion," before he starts undoing the Maou’s vest buttons.  Rosetta has come back, holding the red stone with both her hands, and Conrad takes it to put on Yuuri’s chest, covering it with his hands.

There is a glow and when it’s gone the stone is somewhat smaller, but Yuuri’s breath is more steady, and he has regained some colour.

When finally Wolfram, Gwendal and Gunther arrive, together with the rest of the Maou’s escort, Yuuri is sleeping but saved.

Reassured from the king’s improved state, Conrad slowly goes back to the main street, his legs slightly wavering under him. When he reaches the place his mount had fallen he slides to his knees and gently removes the bit from the horse’s mouth. He softly arranges the brown hairs and closes its eyes, thankful for this life that was given to save Yuuri. Tomorrow they will bury it, with the honours it deserves. This horse shall never be forgotten.

THE END

\-------------

OMAKE :

"‘If it’s a man, cut it, if it’s a god, cut it,’ was it?" In Shinou’s temple, a blond form was frowning, holding the remains of a red cut sleeve.

Murata Ken just smiled mockingly at Shinou. What did the immaterial king complain about? He just had to wish it for the material to mend… nothing but his image of himself had been hurt.

\-------------

**Author's Note:**

> AN: No Yuuri’s death ^^ : there is nearly nothing to invent after Yuuri’s death, since what would happen afterwards has already been told. (Except if Yuuri found a way to make Conrad change his mind… but that’s another fic)


End file.
